Flip-flop 4-season fashion shoe

ABSTRACT

A flip-flop sandal shoe construction with a fabric, fur or like overlay detachably secured to the front end of the flip-flop strap to provide a fashion statement of coloration, picturization or design to the sandal when wrapped around a wearer&#39;s foot and secured, or extending to the side edges of the sandal while continuing to provide an open toe presentation in allowing for pedicure servicing without first having to remove a sock or boot worn as a protective measure.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

A Provisional Patent Application covering the invention described herein was filed on May 4, 2011, and assigned Ser. No. 61/482,468.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Research and development of this invention and Application have not been federally sponsored, and no rights are given under any Federal program.

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

NOT APPLICABLE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the wearing of casual footwear, in general, and to the wearing of flip-flop sandals as a fashion statement, all-year-long if so desired.

2. Description of the Related Art

As will be appreciated, during the warmer months of summer, more and more women (and even men for that matter) can be seen as wearing a flip-flop type of sandal as contrasted with the other types of casual footwear sold in the marketplace. As will also be appreciated, however, many of these wearers then turn to these other types of casual footwear as the weather cools—not only to keep their feet warm in colder weather, but because they believe that the continued wearing of the flip-flop then becomes almost as equally out-of-fashion as the wearing of “white” or light-colored shoes during the winter. This has been found to be the case even though the wearing of flip-flops has been acknowledged by the wearers to be the more comfortable, the easier to put on and take off, and the more available as a fashion statement in allowing a wearer's colored and decorated toenails to be displayed (especially in color coordination with their other clothings being worn). And, as almost goes without saying, if a degree of warmth could be provided to the conventional flip-flop construction, its wearing would go far in simplifying the polishing of toenails and other servicings done at a pedicure salon, without first having to remove (and then put back on) the previously worn socks, shoes, or boots advertised and sold according to the prior art for keeping the feet warm once they are exposed to the chills accompanying colder weather,—whether or not such alternative wearings could be said to provide pedicure protection as well.

OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved construction of a flip-flop sandal shoe construction which can be comfortably worn all-year-long, both in the warmer months of spring and summer and in the cooler months of fall and winter.

It is an object of the present invention, also, to provide such a new and improved flip-flop sandal shoe construction which makes as easy as possible, the presentation of the toenails for polishing, decorating, cutting and like servicings as done in a pedicure salon.

It is another object of the invention to provide a flip-flop sandal shoe construction which in-and-of itself makes a fashion statement in allowing the flip-flop sandal to be color coordinated with the wearing of one's clothing, and to be interchangeable quickly and easily to meet whatever the emotional desires of the wearer might happen to be.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As will become clear from the following description, the flip-flop sandal shoe construction of the invention includes a conventional flip-flop sandal having a sole and a flip-flop strap with the sole including a top surface, a bottom surface and a heel portion besides its common toe portion. In accordance with a specific teaching of the invention for colder climate use, a “fur” material, in its preferred embodiment, is attached by an appropriate hook-and-loop adhesive fastener (although male and female type snaps could be used as an alternative), both at the top surface of the flip-flop strap, and around or to the heel portion of the flip-flop sandal where it is secured in like manner. In such utilization, unfastening the “fur” material at the heel allows a wearer to step into the flip-flop, with the “fur” material then wrapping around the foot by its simple reattachment at the rear. With the open front, the toes stay exposed so that the pedicure servicing can continue, with its cuticle and nail work being done along with its polishing without smudging or waiting for the toenails to dry.

Furthermore, where desired in even colder weather, the “fur-type” material can additionally be lined to keep the foot warm even where temperatures drop further. Alternatively, the “fur-type” material could be replaced by other materials of a chosen design to allow whatever fashion statement a wearer desires to be easily displayed, in color coordination or otherwise—even to the extent of displaying in warmer weather a sports team's colors, logos, or whatever is selected as a fashion statement.

Essentially, when in use, the flip-flop sandal shoe construction of the invention includes a rubber sole with a lining of warm material for the winter, attachable by a hook-and-loop adhesive in wrapping to the sandal's strap and around the foot for closure. Such design will be appreciated to enable the flip-flop to be taken on and off without touching the toenails, with the lining being placed back on the foot after the pedicure is completed. Afterwards, the lined material can be unfastened, and replaced with another fabric consistent with whatever fashion statement may be desired and the sandal put back on. And, with the lining or fabric just removed entirely (as during the summer months), the sandal could simply be worn during daytime shopping, walking or lounging about.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features of the present invention will be more clearly understood from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional flip-flop type sandal shoe as known in the prior art;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a decorative type overlay for detachable securement to the flip-flop sandal of FIG. 1 in carrying out the teachings of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an illustration helpful in understanding the final result of adhering the overlay of FIG. 2 with the flip-flop sandal of FIG. 1 in arriving at a fashion-statement flip-flop sandal available for spring, summer and fall weather wear according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is an illustration helpful in understanding the adhering of a fabric or fur-type overlay to the flip-flop sandal of FIG. 1 for a winter or cold weather wearing; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate how such cold weather sandal may appear and be worn.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The flip-flop type sandal 10 of FIG. 1 includes a sole 12 (preferably of a non-slip rubberized composition) and a flip-flop strap 14. The flip-flop sole 12 includes an upper surface 16, a lower surface 18, an open heel portion 20, an open toe portion 22 and opposing side edges 25, 35. The strap 14 is typically configured such that when a foot is inserted into the sandal 10, the strap 14 fits between the toes to secure the sandal 10 to the foot. A bottom surface of the flip-flop strap 14 is shown at 24, and its top surface is shown at 26. The strap 14 joins with the upper toe portion at 45, and with the opposing side edges at 55, 65.

In accordance with the teachings of the invention, a first component of a hook-and-loop adhesive system 75 is shown on the top surface 26 of the strap 14 adjacent its forward end, as at 28. A second component of the hook-and-loop adhesive system is sewn at 76 and 77 on the top surface 26 of the strap adjacent its rearward ends 30, 32. A decorative overlay 34 shown in FIG. 2 has its own hook-and-loop adhesive components at its undersides at 36, 38 and 40 to secure with the components on the strap 14 in leading to the view of the sandal of FIG. 3—changing the overall appearance of the sandal.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, the overlay 34 may be of an “arrow-tip” or “stealth aircraft wing” type shape, and of a coloration, pictorial or design display. The overlay 34 secures over the strap 14 at the points where the strap 14 joins with the open toe portion of the sandal at 45, and where the strap 14 joins with the opposing side edges of the sandal at 55, 65. Alternative to the hook-and-loop adhesive system, a pair of male and female “snaps” could be used in providing the needed securement. In such manners, a colored, pictorial or design display overlay can be put onto the sandal strap 14 in providing a fashion statement to the sandal in allowing its wearing during the spring, summer and fall weather months according to the desires of the wearer to provide coordination with any other article of clothing being worn. As will be apparent, such overlay can also simply be removed to allow the sandal to be worn in any casual use—such as in just walking, shopping or lounging about. In any event, the open toe portion remains in that condition so that any desired pedicure salon servicing can continue as before, when wearing the sandal to the salon.

A heavier fur or fabric lined material may be desired to be worn in winter or colder weather, or when the weather is merely inclement—in wrapping around the foot to keep the foot warm, while continuing to present a fashion statement, and while still allowing the open toe concept to continue for pedicure servicing purposes. The underside of such heavier weight material is shown in FIG. 4 as including additional manners of overlay fastening securements. In FIG. 4 the overlay 34 continues to have the front end hook-and-loop adhesive or snap-type fastening component as at 36, but with a pair of two-component fasteners at 80, 82 and at 84, 86 instead of the single fastening components 38 and 40 of FIGS. 1-3. The added fastening strength of the components 80, 82, supplementing that of the two components 84, 86, provide the added strength in holding the wraparound heavier fabric or fur in position, especially where the fabric is lined for warmth.

FIG. 5 shows a back view of the sandal worn in this manner, with FIG. 6 being a cut-away view of the fabric or fur in showing the two-component adhesive or snap fastening. As will be seen further from FIG. 6, the open toe visualization of the foot continues to allow the pedicure servicing to be had without first having to take off any sock, shoe or boot otherwise worn to keep a foot warm in colder weather. And, as previously mentioned, the wraparound fabric, even when lined, can be of a coloration, pictorial or other design to continue as a fashion statement of the wearer. In such manner, for example, the fabric wrapping can display the coloration and logos of one's favorite outdoor sports team as in the wearing of the sandal at a professional or college football game.

While there have been described what are considered to be preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the teachings herein. For at least such reason, therefore, resort should be had to the claims appended hereto for a true understanding of the invention. 

1. Flip-flop sandal comprising: a sole having upper and lower surfaces, opposing side surfaces, and open toe and open heel portions on the upper surface of said sole; a strap extending from said open toe portion towards said opposing side edge locations of said upper surface; and a first component of a two-component fastener system at a top surface of said strap adjacent points where said strap joins with said open toe portion and with said opposing side edge locations.
 2. The flip-flop sandal of claim 1, also including a fabric or fur-type overlay having a coloration, pictorial or design display on a top surface thereof, and at least one second component of said two-component fastener system on a bottom surface thereof.
 3. The flip-flop sandal of claim 2 wherein said fabric or fur-type overlay includes one of said second components at a point to overlie said first component of the fastener system where said strap joins with said upper toe portion, and a pair of said second components to overlie said first component of the fastener system where said strap joins with said opposing side edge locations.
 4. The flip-flop sandal of claim 3 wherein said first and second components are components of a hook-and-loop adhesive fastener system.
 5. The flip-flip sandal of claim 3 wherein a front end of said fabric or fur-type overlay includes one of said second components at a point to overlie said first component of the fastener system, wherein a back end of said fabric or fur-type display includes a separate two-component fastener system, and wherein said separate two-component fastener system wraps said fabric or fur-type overlay around the heel of a wearer of said sandal.
 6. The flip-flop sandal of claim 5 wherein said separate two-component fastener system includes first and second components of a hook-and-loop adhesive fastener system. 